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I don't know how you're doing, but I am ready for a little September SUCCESS! : ) I'm putting away the "oh, its summer, I'll walk (bike, swim, run) off these extra pounds this summer... no worries" lies to myself and getting off of my high horse and taking *action*!

There are dumb goals and there are SMART goals and I'm into the smart kind after years of finding out the dumb ones only lead to further despair and unhealthy behaviors! SMART goals are all about Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-Restricted goals. In other words: they're the right kind of goals to set.

September for me is going to be about losing weight and shaping up. I haven't been journaling my food and have gained weight. I tore my meniscus in April and was inactive all summer because of the pain involved in just getting around. But I'm healing up well and it is time (doctor approved, too!) to get back at being healthy!

I'd love to have you join me in the September fitness and weight loss challenge. I'll be tweeting about it using the #hlgStepUpSept hashtag. Let me know here in the Comments or on Twitter or Instagram if you'd like to join in! : )

When I was morbidly obese and set out on this journey, I was ECSTATIC to be able to complete one loop around the high school gym track. That is a quarter of a mile. I did it without having to stop and I thought I'd won the Olympic gold! So if you're worried about starting and not being able to keep up - don't worry... I've BEEN THERE! ; ) You have to dig down deep and realize that you have within you what it takes to conquer your old habits and reclaim your health. Push those negative thoughts away. You CAN do this. I CAN do this. We ARE going to DO THIS!

Here are the #hlgStepUpSept challenge goals:

1) Whatever you are doing for steps per day, make a SMART goal to double it by October 1st. I wear a FitBit so it is easy for me to count my steps but there are plenty of apps that will do it for you or buy yourself a good ole pedometer which are much less expensive than they were just five years ago. My goal is to walk 2 miles daily for steps.

2) Set a specific goal for your calories per day and follow your plan. I've never liked the phrase "oh, I cheated on my diet last night". No, you didn't cheat on some fantasy diet, you cheated yourself. You let your self-discipline slip and gave into cravings which will not make buttoning that top button on your skinny jeans button any easier. I, sadly, know this from experience! ; ) THIS will be the hardest part of the challenge for me... keeping within my planned food and journaling what I have eaten daily. It is SO worth the effort, but - when I have slipped up - so hard to admit to.

3) Drink water or unsweetened ice tea or lemon water ALL DAY and ALL NIGHT long. Water flushes out toxins in our fatty tissue and helps our vital organs, our skin, our metabolism. When you drink a lot of water you don't become hydrated and you will feel more energized. (And yes, you'll become very familiar with the path to the nearest rest room the first week or so until your body is used to you not starving it for H2o!) ; )

4) Journal for yourself for how you're doing, positive thoughts, encourage yourself in your writing, and also encourage others in the challenge, too, on Twitter, in the comments here, through Instagram and on Facebook. I like to hand write my goals every morning in blue ink (studies show that blue ink on white paper is proven to give better stimuli to the brain!) and then I usually - okay, this is a little over the top but it helps me, you'll have to find your own way to encourage yourself - find and write a positive quote to get my day started. And, for me, this works!

I'll be checking in on Twitter every day as I can (while working full-time) and hope you'll join me in this month of Stepping Up our September SUCCESS! : )

My work desk at 10am... and all the good things that are helping me with my weight loss and fitness.

My water bottles!

Water is sooooo darn important to keep us hydrated, especially in the New England winters when our skin is exposed to cold and dry conditions.

Fresh fruit and yogurt!

A mid-morning snack of yogurt and fruit keeps me full until I take a late lunch. The apple is ready for my afternoon snack.

Hot tea and an inspirational reminder!

My "Life is good" mug is full of Earl Grey, a nice way to get in a little caffeine and add to my hydration. No sugar, no creamers. And every sip gives me a peek at the inspirational reminder that life is, indeed, good! ; )

FitBit encouragement!

My Fitbit is on my wrist 24/7 now and I have found it is really a great way to keep me motivated to get in extra steps, track my sleep patterns, and challenge friends who are also tracking their wellness with Fitbit online.

Let's make this first work week of 2015 and the hlgJumpIntoJanuary Challenge a great one! Let me know how, and if, I can help you!